After sustaining a small laceration from a sharps container, what type of documentation should a medical assistant complete?

When a medical assistant sustains a small laceration from a sharps container, completing an incident report is crucial. An incident report is a formal documentation used to record any unexpected events that can potentially harm employees or patients, including accidents, injuries, or near misses. This type of documentation serves several important purposes, such as ensuring that the incident is properly tracked, analyzed, and followed up on to prevent future occurrences.

The incident report typically includes details about the injury, such as when and where the incident occurred, the nature of the injury, and any immediate actions taken. This information is vital for both legal and occupational health reasons. Incident reports are usually kept in a separate file to protect privacy and to ensure compliance with internal policies and regulatory requirements.

While other forms of documentation may also be important in certain contexts, such as patient health records or OSHA reports, the immediate and appropriate response to a workplace injury like this is to complete an incident report. This documentation ensures a systematic response and helps maintain a safe working environment.